By The Daily Item
The All-American Conference named its 2009 all-star football team, and the conference coaches named East Juniata senior tailback Wade Truitt as its Offensive Most Valuable Player and Lourdes Regional's Mike Klembara as its Coach of the Year.
Despite missing some playing time early in the season with a minor injury, Truitt carried the ball 181 times for 944 yards and eight touchdowns. He also threw the ball and completed nine of 24 passes for 198 yards and another touchdown.
As proof that he's a jack of all trades, Truitt, who was also named to the AAC's first team as a linebacker, returned an interception for a touchdown, kicked one field goal and eight extra points for a total of 71 points on the season.
Klembara directed Lourdes to a 7-2 record and the conference championship in 2009. The Red Raiders outscored their opponents 201-93, and they also outgained them 2,278 yards to 1,727 this past season.
Named to the AAC first team for Lourdes were senior tailback Mike Bastian, senior slotback Matt Gilger, senior tight end Joe Gownley, senior center Hunter Hoffman and senior guard Mike Wasko.
Bastian rushed for 1,007 yards on 162 carries and he had 17 touchdowns and one receiving touchdown. Gilger had only a total of 64 rushing yards and one touchdown, but he also caught 11 passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns. Gownley caught eight passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns.
The Red Raiders' first-team honorees on the defensive side of the ball are senior linemen Jake Lyash and Mike Wasko, plus Gownley at linebacker, Bastian at cornerback and punter and Gilger at safety.
Along with Truitt, East Juniata's other first-team defensive honoree was senior lineman Dexter Herman.
